Fatal house fire

Crews at the scene reported that the house was heavily smoke logged and after entering the property found an unconscious man in his 70s in the lounge. Firefighters worked with the Ambulance Service to help the man, but unfortunately the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

An investigation will be carried out to establish the cause of the fire, which is not being treated as suspicious.

Head of Community Safety, Neil Fenwick said:

"Initially we believed the occupant had not heard his smoke alarm as we were informed he was hard of hearing. However, our investigation has found that the man had been alerted by his working smoke alarms and had attempted to exit his property. However due to his exits not being clear, he was not able to leave his property and was overcome by the smoke.

"We urge everyone to make sure their escape routes are kept clear so that in the event of a fire, you and your family can get out as quickly and safely as possible. It is also vitally important you have a working smoke alarm on every level of your home.

"To get your FREE smoke alarm and home safety visit call us on 0300 303 0088 or visit our website."

The cause of the fire has been recorded as accidental. The investigation found that the fire started when gas heater was used too close to soft furnishings which caught alight and then the fire spread around the room.